1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer for qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing biological samples such as blood or urine samples, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer employing a means for detecting the remaining amount of each reagent.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional automatic analyzing apparatus has been designed to perform its analysis operation in such a manner that if the amount of any one of the essential reagents in respective containers (e.g., bottles) falls to zero, the apparatus is set to a standby state to allow replacement of the empty container with a full one. It is common for the automatic analyzing apparatus to have the capability to notify the operator of exhaustion of the supply of a reagent by graphically indicating it on the display of the operation unit. In response to this indication, the operator replenishes the exhausted supply of the reagent (e.g., replaces the reagent container, etc.) after making sure that each analysis module using the reagent has completed the analysis of its current specimen sample. The operator then causes the automatic analyzing apparatus (and hence each analysis module) to resume its analysis operation after making sure that the supply of the reagent has been restored. This means that the operator needs to monitor a plurality of display screens to check the operating sate of the apparatus during the time between the reagent supply exhaustion and the resumption of the analysis operation. Furthermore, each analysis module must perform a post-analysis operation after completing the analysis of its current specimen sample and also must perform a pre-analysis operation before resuming its analysis operation. That is, exhaustion of the supply of a reagent causes the automatic analyzing apparatus to stay in a standby state for a long time before resuming its analysis operation. Japanese Patent No. 3597958 discloses an automatic analyzer having an interrupt button for reagent bottle replacement which is pressed by the operator to set the analyzer in a standby state when it is necessary to replace a reagent bottle with a new one. The automatic analyzer uses a lamp, etc. to notify the operator when it is in the standby state.